The Cecil Whig., 1887-12-31
A M0UETAINEER'S HUM0R.

In the mountains OF Virginia and West
Virginia after he war, tOry-teliing was
the one least Of reason and intellectual
pastime. The mountaineers were never
an educated race. During the period of
the Rebellion they were cut oft entirely
from all newspapers, books and peIiodi-
Gals They knew absolutely nothing of
what was going on in the world. They
lived in little circle by themselves.
When they got together the man who
could tell the b"st story was the scknow-
Legged leader. Wiz vas cultivated by
personal encounter in the country store,
III the tavern barroom and before the
great hIepiaces IN the cabins. One of
the characters of the decade after the
war about whom West Eirginiaps occas-
ionally talk, was a certain Captain Mosier
His fund OF stories never ran out 4
friend said TO him: Captain, if you were
educated you would be a big man." Said
the Captain: Yes and If had lived in
deep water | would have been a whale"
that on one occasion he had been imbib-
ing at the conntrg tavern to All extent
that gave unSteadiGeSs TO his locDmotiOn.
1t was stormy night, and trrrfc
thunder shower WAS il progress as he
started fer home. His pathway lay up
the mountain and across deep gorge,
over slender bridge beneath which ran
turbulent mountain Stream, swollen by
the falling rain. The Captain had strug.
.led along TO this point with difficulty.
Wnen lie reached the bridge he threw
himself down oa all tours and began to
creep across the narrow structure. The
iiashas OF lightning gave him occasional
views Of the path across, aad he waited
ter these flashes before making any ad-
vauces. His crossing was thus made by
stages. just after a binding flash of
| lightning he lost his hold ard tell into
the stream. Ii was Il Jerriblo plunge aud
the chances for his lie were extremely
doubtful. Some Of bis companions who
had followed Linn from the tavern heard
| his cry as be struck the water. They
| plunged into the gorge in spite OF the
danger, and found INN ciinging to rock
below the bridge. AS they pulled him
out Of the water, battered, dreuched and
b2dly scared, he gasped out a protest
| against the thunder storm in these words:
| wall, if I'd a undertaken to light a gen.
| tleman home, I'd done the job better"
About this same Captain another story
| is told which does not indicate that he
was as valiant rs he was humorous. lis
| had enlisted in the Confederate Army,
and his regiment was drawn up in battle
array before the advancing hosts of the
| Union Army. The Colonel of the regi-
ment thought it was time to make a
speech, and proceeded to attempt to fire
the hearts of the rank and file BY address,
ing them something after this manner:
Fellow soldiers Of the Confederate
| Army: The enemy are before you. The
sacred homes of Virginia and the graves
ofyour ancestors are behind you. Around
your hearthstone the women and chill
dren OF Virginia are praying you to be
steSdfast and rebel the invaders. The
demon horde of Northern mudsills are
bearing down upon Virginia. Unless
checked hy your devotion and chivalrous
efforts hey will ravage your plantations,
rob Jour granaries burn your barns and
piliage your houses" When the Colonel
had reached this point in his address the
brave C1ptain Moser called out as he
suited hsaction to the words, aud started
on a run u the rear: IT ail these things
are threatening my plantation | am 60
lug right home to see about it And
he went